Chicken Lighting Welfare - Duration and Spectrum

How lighting duration and spectrum affect broiler and laying hen welfare, covering photoperiod, intensity, and LED systems.

Key Facts

Broilers kept under near-continuous light show higher production but sleep deprivation causes welfare harm
Minimum dark periods of 6 hours are required under EU legislation to allow normal sleep behaviour
LED lighting enables precise spectrum control; blue-enriched light calms broilers while green-enriched light promotes activity
Light intensity affects feather pecking rates, with very low intensity reducing pecking but impairing activity and health
Laying hens require 14-17 hours of light to maintain laying rates; abrupt changes disrupt welfare and production

Welfare Considerations

Lighting management profoundly affects poultry welfare through its influence on circadian rhythms, behaviour, and physiological development. Systems designed purely for production maximisation can impose chronic welfare costs through disrupted sleep and abnormal activity patterns. Species-appropriate lighting - including adequate dark periods, appropriate intensity, and gradually changing photoperiods - improves welfare without significant production cost.

What You Can Do

Ensure minimum 6-hour continuous dark periods for housed broilers
Implement gradual dawn and dusk simulation through dimmer controls
Choose low-dust LED lighting systems that maintain colour spectrum appropriate for poultry vision
Monitor feather condition as an indicator of lighting-related pecking problems
Review lighting protocols with a poultry welfare specialist as part of annual system assessment